PHOENIX — Ian Stewart has fit a lot of descriptions during his virtual decade in the Rockiesâ system. Hot prospect, third baseman of the future and potential middle-of-the-order run producer, just to name three.

As we speak, Stewart is something else: an afterthought.

Stewart struck out three times on Thursday against Atlanta and hasnât started a game since. Heâs on the bench today as manager Jim Tracy decided to go with Ty Wigginton at third base.

Itâs not like Stewart hasnât had chances. He started 13 games after rejoining the team on July 5 from Triple A Colorado Springs. He just hasnât been productive enough to stay in the lineup.

Stewart isnât just a mystery anymore. He has played his way to the brink of being lost in the shuffle in the organization. It may be too strong a comment to say the only reason he wonât be traded in the next few days is because no team is offering the Rockies anything of value for him. Then again, maybe itâs not too strong a statement.

Whatâs obvious is this: Tracyâs confidence in Stewart has waned to perhaps an all-time low. Makes sense. Stewart, who went into the season with 54 career home runs, one every 20.7 at-bats, is hitting .152 with no homers and one RBI in 92 at-bats.

âIâm trying really hard with Ian Stewart to jump start him, but you also have a season youâre looking at,ââ said Tracy. âWe have 61 games left. How many more days can you go? Weâre at a point in time now in the year where whoâs swinging the bat and whoâs making a contribution (will play).

âWe want to feel like, if we do something right, weâve got a chance to put four or five runs up there on the board. Those are the people that Iâm going to lean in the direction of. Weâre looking for the productive people who are going to go out there and do (the job).ââ

Tracy screwed Stewart over when he benched him for no reason and put Atkins in for the duration of the ’09 playoffs.Â He’s never once shown any confidence in Ian.Â Good luck–maybe a fresh start with another team is what Stewart needs.Â The Rockies can’t get rid of Tracy soon enough.

PAUL F ARATA

PATHETIC, I have been saying that all season.Â The longer they play the worse they look.Â I predicted a 4th or 5th place finish for them in the division in MAY.Â They may not make either of those positions because the Padres and the Dodgers are also in the doldrums.Â Â I graded their offense with a D- and now their pitching may be a genuine F.Â Â Tracy finally got off the bench the other day and went out to talk to a pitcher,Â He is the leader and he needs to lead on the spot when the job isn’t getting done.Â Â Dumping some players is on the front burner now, although it is too late.

Topsps

“after thought”??Â Not by you Jim, why not address a real issue?Â If you are asÂ close to this team, as you shouild be, you would recognize this is not a happy organization.Â There is no passion, no comradary, this is 23 guys playing with 2 others that get all the fame and none of the blame.Â We are now at the point, you dump the team, or you dump Tracy and his crew, these two intieties cannot co-exist.Â Â Another point that needs to be addressed is the constant need to change successful young men and thatÂ which drew them to the attention of the Rockies, in the first place.Â ie: http://www.ocregister.com/sports/matzek-309395-marshall-fullmer.htmlÂ

Mike321

Â I’ve felt all year that they have been yanking him around…up with the team after having no spring training…what a surprise when he didnt hit so down to AAA. Then up for a couple of weeks then back to AAA, then he comes back up this month, had a couple of good games together with a 3 hit game and the first sign of a bad game he gets sent to the bench. Here is a novel idea…let him just play night after night and actually see what he does over the long haul as were not going anywhere anyway. Tracy obviously has his faves but for whatever reason Stewart is on such a ridiculous short leash.

Johnekberg

if you let him play night after night and he still doesnt contribute (which Stewart has shown is inevitable this season), then all you are doing is hurting the ball club and taking the playing time away from a player who truly deserves it, Ty Wigginton. Ty has played his heart out this season, sure he doesnt have the best glove at third base, but he does have the bat that Stewart lacks and he plays more consistently at third base. Stewart doesnt even deserve to be on the AAA club, he should be down in Tulsa until he can truly figure out whatever’s going on in his head. All i can say is that if the club decides to sign him to another 1 year deal at the end of this season i will be ready to call for the head of Dan O’Dowd

Denver Dale

He got more chances than he should have. Get rid of Stewart, Spillborghs,Â Tracy, and all the other mediocre players in the organization.Â Maybe we can get a pitcher from somewhere. Tulo is not a four hitter.Â Teach Fowler how to bunt and hit ground balls, and steal a base. Make a comittment to Seth Smith or get rid of him. Tracy’s overmanaging has cost them at least 5 games. Poor Houston Street, Tracy is gunna kill him. He is never fresh.Â

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle âRocktoberâ in 2007 and also following the teamâs playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.